Pigs helping distribute hay to keep them out of the mud

Swine

I love everything about pigs. If I had more land and the funds for feeding them, I would raise pigs commercially on pasture rotation through the woods. As a kid, I had never experienced pork's flavor grown outside in the sun as God intended animals to live. I had only had pork from the local grocery store, and they are not only worlds apart in flavor but galaxies!

Swine: Services

New pigs on your homestead need a few days to learn about their new surroundings. They should be kept in a smaller confined area without a lot of activity.

Pigs tend to call the food dish home and won't wander too far from it. They also like to sleep in the same place every night, which is another reason to make them feel at home. This way, if you ever get a pig that escapes, you don't have to panic! And never chase an escaped pig! Pigs can be easily lured with food back into their enclosure. A well-fed pig with adequate housing will return to the feed dish or their bedding area before dark.

My piglets on a roomy new pasture. Pig are clean creatures despite the muddy appearance. Water baths or misting is necessary for the hot months to cool a pig because they do not have sweat glands. Cool water or mud displaces excess heat, keeping them from overheating.

Pigs pick a bathroom in a pasture corner and will not root through this area even though it is an earthworm heaven because they do not want to touch excrement. However, pigs in a pen will root under feces and often eat feces because there is no other food source for entertainment. Pigs like searching for goodies. They are thinkers, and allowing pigs to root socially on pasture is good for their minds. Healthy minds build healthy animals. Pigs that consume feces develop a musty taint in the pork, especially in the fat, creating a substandard pork product.

Keeping your pig from getting bored with feed is another way to keep them from escaping or from growing mean. I regularly supplement our pigs with different kinds of garden vegetables, milk...when I have it, and eggs.

Kitchen scraps are for chickens and the compost pile.

It does take some time to turn out a pig. However, you can harvest them at any size you see fit.

Milo and oats are the only grain we supply for the pigs. It has a poor feed conversion rate, but it is inexpensive, and the pigs don't seem to mind. Bag feed is highly refined and will make your pigs gain weight quickly. However, diets centered on refined grains get digested very quickly, which leads to diabetes, excess fat, and heart attacks.

In my first few years of using bag feed, I lost numerous chickens and turkeys from overfeeding them with refined grains. Turkeys were prone to get heart attacks, and the chicken's livers had fatty liver disease. Excessive bag feed also would stop egg-laying in the poultry from packing on so much fat.

Why not feed them less? Hungry animals escape. Escaped animals are vulnerable to predators, and you lose your time and money invested in the critter.

Whole oats and milo digest slowly, keeping the livestock filled with fiber while still obtaining enough protein to put on weight. Never ever sprout milo to use as fodder or allow it to get wet. Milo sprouts make natural cyanide, which can kill livestock in small doses. I only use milo feed in the dry summer months to avoid this.

Waiting for the waller to fill up for a summer swim.

I like to teach my pigs to come when I call them. The last thing you want, is to have to chase down or catch a 225-pound hog.

Hogs on pasture will grow tusks. Never let your guard down, no matter how well you think you know your pigs. They are moody creatures, and some have a sense of humor. I have seen others with a wicked switch that gets flipped if it feels its personal space has been invaded. I had one pig I referred to as "Danger Sow."

They are all very different and taking time to learn their traits makes for easier caretaking. You need to know what you are getting into -take the time to learn and understand your animals' attributes.

It only takes a few minutes to sit idle to watch and learn about your hogs. Pigs are susceptible to cracked hooves. Lack of protein, too much mud, or too much weight can cause this. It is a balancing act to keep pigs on pasture. Pay attention to your pig's hooves and legs. Always watch for redness or swelling. Lame hogs usually have to be put down unless you have the facilities to medicate them.

The good life is on open pasture! The best pork comes from pigs with a good life!

Swine: Portfolio

Pigs on Pasture

The pigs love the sound of the tractor. When I go down to the creek the pigs like to race along the fence of their pasture. The video is a little bumpy because the tractor has a lot of bounce pulling the water wagon.

Swine: Video